[Bulk]

Hi all,

Just purchased an X3 and I'm interested in putting in an after market navigation system. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks
Andrew

[ShakyDog]

Originally Posted by Bulk

Hi all,

Just purchased an X3 and I'm interested in putting in an after market navigation system. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks
Andrew

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...av-system.html

Read through this post on another site, BMW sells a rebranded Garmin. Guys are buying the parts and using an inexpensive Garmin...

Steve

[Hoady02]

I wanted more than the Garmin. Have one already and the screen is too small, especially when you are navigating in tight spaces or across busy intersections. Looked around and chose the Dynavin DVN-E83. It is a very good unit with a 7" screen and looks OEM. Fits in right where the storage tray was. Installation took a few hours but was relatively simple. Installed the microphone near where the factory one is and the Satnav receiver at the top of the windscreen. You will probably need to get an AUX connector with RCA leads to get all the audio features. It has the abilty to connect to a rear view camera and TV (both extras). Appears to be a well made unit and the price is around US$600+. Only downside is the documentation which is basic and does not include installation instructions. But really, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure what goes where. The unit can be found at http://www.dynavin.com/products/product_dnv_e83.php and there is a useful You Tube Video here

Hope this helps.
Geoff

[x3oiler]

What is the DYNAVIN DVN-E83 like in direct or bright sunshine? Is the LCD screen still readable?

[Hoady02]

Overall its good although it suffers more from reflections from within the vehicle than direct light from the screen. Sitting so far up on the dash it is going to be exposed to more light. However, on balance I am happy with it.

[x3oiler]

Got it and installed. Re visibility well it ain't no Garmin as far as screen quality but it will suffice. Basically a washed out look and difficult to read with sun glasses on. Pity Dynavin did not spend a bit extra on LCD technology.

After some hassles got the reversing camera I already had installed working. No documentation comes with the unit with respect to connections so a matter of suck it and see. Do NOT assume that the yellow cable on the connector labeled reverse camera is video. One of the two yellow RCA is the video input. Which one - well you will have to suck and see.

Oh btw the install videos show a nice easy routing of the cable bundle from the radio position to the DVN position. If you have a right hand drive vehicle it is NOT this easy. It is possible but by heck no where near as easy as in the left hand drive based videos. The heating/cooling ducts get in the way big time in the right drive beasties.

The GPS antenna does not need to be in the open. As long as there is no metal between it and the sky or anything really solid it will work. I wrapped it in foam so it will not rattle around and stuffed it underneath but next to the DVN-E83 - positioned so only the dash cover (cardboard and vinyl) is between it an the "sky" . Works fine. No need for the tacky install method in the videos. ick.

Only problem left to solve: AUX not being detected on the radio - have to debug this yet. Radio is supposed to be AUX capable.

[Hoady02]

The AUX connection is an issue for me as well. I sourced a plan of the inputs and bought a connecting cable then changed the inputs to suit the ones for the AUX input. No luck. Changed them again to hook up to the CD changer and no go. Removed the Dynavin connector and connected a player directly to the back of the radio. Still didn't work. My manual says very clearly that an AUX connection can be added. ETK shows that the BMW (the $450 option!!!) will fit. So either (1) the radio does not have AUX capability or (2) I am trying to connect to the wrong pins. Pretty sure its one or other given that I tested the USB with picture file, all ok, and music, no go. I did some digging on the business radios and there seems to be a lot in our year of manufacture which didn't come with the AUX fitted... In regards to the screen I am using IGO navigation software which is great. Have bought and will try a anti-reflective screen to combat the in car reflections. Will try and test tomorrow.

[x3oiler]

From here: http://wds.spaghetticoder.org/en/svg...61.svg?m=e8385

We are looking at the aux input at pins 3 (left) ,4 (right) and 10 (ground)

We need a 300kohm resistor from pins 3 to 4 (10 is ground) to trigger the AUX option.

This assumes that the Dynavin connects to these pins for it's AUX audio output. I have yet to double check this. I do remember seeing some wires in this general area.

[Hoady02]

I am sure the wires that go in do not connect to the right pins. Recollect looking at them when I was testing. Found a comment on the Dynavin site where to activate the AUX they bought the AUX cable from BMW, connected it then connected the wires to the plug that was taken out. Will go and see if a straight change in the pins to connect will work but if you have found that a resistor is needed then it might not. Will have a crack at it anyway.

[Hoady02]

Have just looked at the connections at both ends. The ones from the BMW cable are for a link to the phone that is not connected as the pins are in the wrong place to make a connection. So lets forget about that. Now the one we are interested in is the connector leading to the Dynavin unit from the radio itself. All the wires are in the right place so that's good. Bad news is they didn't finish the job and there is nothing else. So it shouldn't be a problem to wire a resistor to wire across the leads from pins 3 and 4 as you identified.

[Hoady02]

Added the anti-glare screen and went for a long drive in varying light and weather conditions. Definite improvement, especially when wearing sunnies. Cuts back on a lot of the reflections but unfortunately doesn't eliminate them altogether. Good and simple upgrade. As a test a tried a simple cover to stop direct sunlight from above. That worked very well so will look at something that looks right and try that.

[x3oiler]

Re resistor, makes sense. If Dynavin added the resistor then this would disable a system WITH the aux cable fitted.

[x3oiler]

Nope, resistor makes no difference. Did a quick push fit into the connector and no AUX option.

[x3oiler]

Pretty sure that the series 0.22uf capacitors are required in the audio as well. The output of the Dynavin is not high impedance and when connected the 300k resistor no longer looks like 300k to the radio and 300k is the AUX trigger. To check this, can remove the dynavin connection and just connect 300k between pins 3 and 4 direct on the radio. If can get AUX by cycling the mode button then yes caps are definitely required. I will not get chance to do this for some time now. Will update when I do.

[Hoady02]

Found a solution. Read a report where someone bought the BMW AUX connector, then plugged it in and wired the other end to the Dynavin Input. Said it worked first time. Can source a BMW AUX connector for about US$35 as opposed to $450 locally.... But will wait and see how you go first.

[x3oiler]

This is what is needed:



Not that the capacitors isolate the 300k (aux trigger) from any other resistive influence. In this case the B1 end goes to the Dynavin connections. ie cut the current two wires 4 and 3 insert this into the current dynavin circuit.

[x3oiler]

Had my first experience of glare with the Dynavin E83 screen. Horrible. Driving into the sun, the light reflecting off the front seat passengers reflecting in the screen completely wipes out the screen. The screen is unreadable. Up till now in bright sun the screen has been usable.

Hoady02, what anti reflective screen did you install?

My concerns with an anti reflective fitment is that this will destroy what little screen brightness there is in daylight.

I am tempted to see of the existing CFL backlight can be replaced with an LED array.

[x3oiler]

Originally Posted by x3oiler

This is what is needed:



Not that the capacitors isolate the 300k (aux trigger) from any other resistive influence. In this case the B1 end goes to the Dynavin connections. ie cut the current two wires 4 and 3 insert this into the current dynavin circuit.

Confirming that this fixes it. I now have AUX input when I rotate through the options using the MODE button.

I had to cut the red and white wire and inserted the capacitors in series and the resistor on the head unit side of the capacitors. ie duplicating the above cable.

----

The interesting point that claims by the distributors that the AUX is plug and play is not true. If the output of the Dynavin was capacitive coupled and the AUX cable was installed already present (the 300k resistor in place) the claims would true. BUT the Dynavin output does appear to load down the 300k resistor when installed (AUX function not triggering) - hence the dynavin outputs are not capacitively coupled. ie claims are false. Might be a production variation - saving money by not fitting the capacitors to the dynavin - not sure.

[x3oiler]

I have been playing with using an alternate MP3 player. The stock player is really dumb - no play lists - no folders - just scans the entire USB drive and lists all the tracks. ie not very usable IMO unless you re-write the tracks on the USB in Artist+Album+track name order. (http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/15407/tritag)

In addition,when the GPS is running, you have to exit the GPS completely to get back to the audio player - this is a real pain.

And so it would also be nice to be able to use the GPS with a quick switch to audio and back.

The core operating system that contains the MP3 player is not up-datable that I know of. The GPS however is running on a separate and self contained module that runs windows CE (v6.0 on mine) and you can run any windows CE program that you want after a few simple hacks.

How? - Google wincepatch on how to do this but warning - the patch is not yet set up completely for the DVN-E83 hardware yet. Do NOT update the windows ce installation to convert to english - update is not compatible yet - just do the patch thingy.

After the patch is installed, to run a windows CE program of your choice, you change the path that points to the windows CE navigation program in the main system setup - (e.g. IGO.exe) to any other exe you want. Want to look at a spreadsheet or ppt slide deck - you can.

With the wince patch installed you can direct wince to the wince desktop or to another shell that is like an iPhone interface - can run nav or audio or video from there. So you can point this to a better MP3 player.

But and a big but. The audio from this player outputs to the internal speakers just as the GPS audio does and NOT to the AUX output that the stock MP3 player does.

I do not see any way around this without hardware modifications - the stock mp3 player is connected to AUX output and the GPS audio connected to the internal speakers. ie a bust for now.

The unit would have to be opened up and the two audio outputs summed into the AUX output. This would however have the advantage that the GPS directions would come out via both the internal speakers and merged with the car audio when running AUX.

I am detailing this to save some other person the trouble. ie we are stuck with the stock MP3 player for now.

Update: iGO Primo has a media player built in so you do not have to exit the GPS function. But still plays only via the internal GPS speakers and not the AUX output.

[Hoady02]

So I take it you got the AUX working ok? Any issues or tips? Have bought the bits but have been occupied with family over Christmas and New Year.

By the way, Happy New Year to you all!

[x3oiler]

Originally Posted by Hoady02

So I take it you got the AUX working ok? Any issues or tips? Have bought the bits but have been occupied with family over Christmas and New Year.

By the way, Happy New Year to you all!

Yup AUX running but not really usable via the dynavin for reasons above. I am still using my iPod via dice for audio. Much more user friendly.

+1 on Happy New Year

[Hoady02]

I purchased a low reflection add on screen designed for an Apple Ipad. $5 ex Hong Kong on ebay. Does a great job of toning down the brightness and makes the screen more visible in sunny conditions. Still yet to get AUX going, will have a crack at it this weekend.